Inside Life Aboard a $4 Billion US Navy Submarine

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Navigating the oceans has always posed significant challenges. With the arrival of nuclear-powered submarines, maritime operations advance to an entirely new level. Since these submarines can operate for up to a quarter century without refueling, the nature of naval deployments has changed dramatically. A nuclear submarine can remain submerged for months with a crew of more than a hundred submariners once deployed it becomes a solitary sentinel fundamentally reshaping the lives of the sailors on board beginning with the USS Holland the first commissioned submarine in the U.S. Navy in 1900 and progressing to today's nuclear-powered submarines their importance has become indispensable in modern naval warfare a ballistic missile submarine can reach depths nearing 1,000 feet with its pressure hull constructed primarily from high strength steel and titanium to endure extreme pressure a nuclear-powered submarine derives its energy from a nuclear reactor which produces heat to generate steam that drives turbines these turbines power the propeller generators and other onboard systems before you affectionately referred to as a boat by members of the submarine community the commissioning ceremony marks the official induction of a submarine into active service. Ship sponsors, senior Navy officials, and distinguished guests attend this event. The highlight of the ceremony is the hoisting of the commissioning pennant and the manning of the submarine by its crew. This long streamer, bearing national colors, remains in place as long as the vessel is in commission. In earlier times, The use of such a pennant became tradition, distinguishing naval ships from merchant vessels. While working on a submarine may appear exciting, it can be both mentally and physically exhausting. Typically, sailors follow a two-four-hour watch schedule to align duties with the human circadian rhythm. This approach greatly enhances alertness and psychological well-being, ultimately improving overall quality of life. Among the many critical operations that ensure submarine safety, navigation stands as the most essential. Unlike surface vessels, determining a submarine's exact position is a complex task. Navigators depend on sonar, bottom contour charts, and the inertial navigation system to establish the vessel's precise location and orientation. The control room acts as the central hub, managing key operations such as navigation, communication, and target tracking. In contrast to aircraft carriers and other surface ships, submarines offer limited entertainment options for their crews. As a result, the crew's mess and food become vital sources of comfort. Culinary specialists work continuously to to provide meals for all shifts. Typically, a submarine carries around 15,000 pounds of food, including fresh produce, canned goods, and frozen meat. Fresh supplies are highly valued and usually last only about two weeks before crews shift to a diet of canned and frozen items. Operating in isolation beneath the sea, submarines must carefully manage their supplies. The Supply Management Officer, known as the CHOP, is responsible for this demanding task, ensuring the crew remains satisfied throughout the deployment. In addition to overseeing food provisions, the Supply Officer handles all other logistics functions, including husbanding services while in port. This unique role supports the submarine's ability to remain self-sufficient during extended missions. Within this isolated and self-reliant environment, Submarines are also equipped with medical facilities, capable of handling emergencies. Sailors receive individualized care, from routine sick calls to more specialized medical needs. A hospital corpsman manages the medical space and calls upon an emergency medical assistance team when required. Despite the confined and submerged conditions, submarines still provide opportunities for recreation. With limited space available, Sailors make use of stationary exercise equipment such as bikes and treadmills, or even walk along the torpedo tubes to stay fit. Unlike aircraft carriers, submarines do not have dedicated chapels for religious services. Instead, sailors gather in the mess deck, their primary communal area, for prayer and group activities. Beyond routine missions, submarines take part in demanding exercises like ice exercise or IceX which push them to their limits and prepare them for extreme conditions IceX enables submariners to practice surfacing through ice and adapt to harsh freezing environments where standard navigation techniques are less effective surfacing through ice presents far greater challenges than surfacing in open water to assist in this process a specialized team conducts a field assessment to evaluate the ice and identify suitable surfacing locations they drill into the ice using augers to measure its thickness and stability once a suitable location is identified the submarine ascends at an angle to reduce stress on its hull typically it must break through an ice layer that is three to four feet thick before surfacing upward looking sonar is used to locate thinner sections of ice. Additionally, the movement of both the ice flow and the water beneath it is carefully considered when selecting the point of emergence. As the sail breaks through the surface, the field team removes additional ice using saws to clear a path to the hatch. After surfacing, sailors can step into the Arctic environment, gaining a strong sense of achievement. They are also given time to relax, play games and explore offering a brief respite from their underwater routine successfully executing such a precise maneuver demonstrates operational capability in the Arctic and highlights the submarine's combat readiness in extreme conditions guys are directly behind us with extensive training and experience the true strength of a submarine ultimately lies in its weapon systems these may include torpedoes missiles or mines depending on mission requirements the U.S. Navy operates 71 submarines including fast attack ballistic missile and guided missile types each category is equipped with both torpedoes and missiles though their configurations differ to meet specific operational needs when engaging enemy submarines torpedoes are the preferred weapon due to their effectiveness against underwater targets. They are launched from cylindrical torpedo tubes that open to the surrounding water during firing. Because of their size and destructive capability, loading torpedoes requires careful handling and precise coordination. Sailors position the torpedo on a loading skid, guiding it into the torpedo room through the hatch along rails. Once inside, it is secured in a rack until needed. To launch, the torpedo is moved into the tube, and the breech door is opened. This door seals the tube as it fills with water when the outer muzzle door opens, equalizing pressure. Crew members then connect guidance wires and power cables to prepare the torpedo for launch. Missile launches follow a slightly different process. However, torpedo tubes can also be used to deploy encapsulated missiles such as the UGM-84 Harpoon. Unlike torpedoes, missiles do not remain underwater. They surface, exit their capsule, ignite, and continue through the air. Launching torpedoes in icy environments can produce different outcomes, so the U.S. Navy conducts IceX tests using MK-48 torpedoes to assess their performance. These test torpedoes are powered by OTTO, Fuel 2, and do not carry warheads. After launch, they are recovered and refueled for reuse. This approach enhances sustainability while ensuring that the Arctic's delicate environment remains protected. From daily operations to challenging exercises like ICEX, submariners endure a demanding lifestyle. Tight spaces, small sleeping quarters, and extended deployments make their roles especially rigorous. When assigned to specialized missions requiring even greater capability, they must push themselves further, adapting to harsh conditions with determination and resilience. An aircraft carrier is more than just a ship. It functions as a floating city, serving as a base for launching and recovering aircraft. The United States operates 11 aircraft carriers, each capable of supporting missions that may last several months. Crews aboard these vessels often spend the majority of their careers at sea. However, life on these massive ships comes with its own set of challenges, including long working hours, repetitive routines, constant interaction with the same group of people. To cope, sailors participate in various recreational activities to unwind. One popular tradition is the swim call, where crew members jump into the ocean for a refreshing swim. Senior officers may encourage sailors to leap from different heights, showcasing their skills with extra recognition given for cannonballs and dives. This activity provides a welcome break and helps strengthen camaraderie among the crew. Another form of relaxation is the steel beach picnic held on the flight deck. These events feature casual games such as golf, sumo wrestling, tricycle racing, catch and card games offering a taste of social life during extended deployments. Food plays a central role, with crews enjoying items like beers, hot dogs, and pies. These moments highlight the importance of balancing work with leisure, helping maintain morale and motivation at sea. At times, sailors deeply miss being with their families, particularly during occasions like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Due to their demanding duties, they often remain on board, but these celebrations are still observed with enthusiasm such events help create a sense of normalcy and festivity within the structured naval environment on thanksgiving traditions like pie eating contests add an element of fun and friendly competition to the celebrations life at sea and beneath the waves is defined by discipline resilience and teamwork from the quiet operations of nuclear submarines to the dynamic environment aboard aircraft carriers every mission relies on the commitment of sailors working in some of the most challenging conditions on earth whether navigating beneath arctic ice adapting to confined living spaces or maintaining readiness far from home these crews represent the strength and flexibility of modern naval forces ensuring they are always prepared to face whatever challenges arise ahead. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time.